Door latch structure



Ndv. 17, 1942. G. JANONIS DOOR LATCH STRUCTURE Original Filed July 7, 1941 FIG.

INVENTOR. GEORGE-JANONIS BY f ATTORNEZ,

%d ,IIIEIII I! II Evil :Il IIIIIIII Patented Nov. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,302,032 noon LATCH STRUCTURE George Janonis, Detroit, Mich.

Claims.

This invention relates generally to vehicle door latch structure and constitutes a division of my application filed July 7, 1941, bearing Serial No. 401,360.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide an improved latch bolt and keeper 1 therefor that are exceptionally effective to hold the door in partially or fully closed position.

Another object is to provide an improved mounting for said latch bolt.

Another object is to provide a door latch structure that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and easy to install.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a door and jamb therefor when viewed from the outside of a vehicle body;

' Figure 2 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is asectional view taken substantially mounted door of a vehicle body, B is a jamb or upright abutment therefor, C is a latch bolt, and l D is a keeper for the latch bolt of a latch structure embodying my invention.

As shown, the door A has the inner and outer panels I!) and H, respectively, and the intermediate supporting uprights l2 to which said panels are rigidly secured. The jamb B may be any suitable construction to limit the closing movement of the door and is preferably a rigid part of the vehicle body.

The latch bolt C is wedge-shaped in configuration and is mounted to swing over the outside free edge of the door. Preferably the head l3 of the wedge-shaped bolt is rounded and has a laterally extending cylindrical shank N that extends through the free edge of thedoor and is journaled in a bearing formed by complementary semi-circular portions [5 and I6, respectively, of case plate sections I1 and I8 upon the inside and rigid with the free edge of the door. Such sections l1 and I8 are preferebly L-shape in cross section and are secured to each other as well as to the freev edge of the door. Preferably the webs l9 and 20, respectively, of said sections are secured together in back-to-back'rela- 55 tion'while the lateral flanges 2| and 22 of said sections are secured to the door. I

The keeper D for the bolt C has a J-shaped portion 23' disposed edgewise on and rigid with an attaching plate 24 that in turn is rigid with the jamb B and is provided on the inner face of the J at the free edge of the shank 25 thereof with two steps 26 andfl, respectively, adapted to be successively engaged by the latch bolt C. Preferably these steps 26 and 21 are integral with the J-shaped portion 23. In fact, the free end of the shank 25' is inclined so as tobe flush with and form a part of the first step 26. Any suitable means such as the screws 28' may be used to secure the'plate 24 to the jamb B.

In the present instance, the latch' bolt C is operated from the inside and outside of the door by two remote control means E and F, respectively, as set forth in my application Serial No. 401,360. Preferably such remote control means are operatively connected to the shank M of the bolt by pins 39 and 3|, respectively, projecting from diametrically opposite sides of said shank. Coil springs 32 and 33 extend in opposite directions from said pins and 3| and are connected by bolts 34 and 35 anchored in the webs l9 and 23 of the case plate sections I! and I8 for normally retaining the tapered tail 36 of the latch bolt in lowered keeper engaging position.

The remote control means E operable from the inner side of the door preferably comprises a relatively long lever pivoted substantially midway its ends on a bracket 43 fixed to the inner panel it of the door and having one end portion 49 movable in a slot 50 in the case plate section ll for engagement with the pin 33 onthe latch bolt shank M, a relatively short lever 5| also pivoted substantially midway its ends on. the bracket 48 and having a pin 52 engaging a longitudinally extending slot 53 in the adjacent end of the long lever 47, a bell crank lever 54 pivoted at the juncture of the arms 55 and 53 thereof upon a plate 51 rigid with the inner panel II] of the door, a long link 58 terminally connected to the short lever 5| and to the arm 55 of the bell crank lever 5d, a hand lever 59 pivoted adjacent one end to the plate 51, and a short link 62 terminally connected to the hand lever 59 and arm 56 of the bell crank lever 54.

Thus, by pulling outwardly the free end H of the hand lever 59, the bell crank lever 54, link 58 and levers 5| and! will cause the pin 30 to be depressed so that the latch bolt C will be retracted against the tension of: the springs 32 and 33. In this-connection,- it willbe'noted' that the engagement of the long lever 41 with the pin 36 on the bolt shank i4 is such that the bolt C is free to turn independently of the inside remote control means E when, for example, the door is slammed or pulled to closed position.

The remote control means F operable from the outer side of the door comprises an upright hand lever 13 disposed substantially parallel to and pivoted at its lower end upon an elongated bracket 'H-l rigid with the inside of the free edge of the door, a substantially T-shaped pin rigid with said hand lever below and slightly offset relative to the pivot it for said hand lever, and a long link 'i'i terminally connected to the T-shaped pin 15 and to the pin 3| on the shank E4 of the latch bolt. As shown, this link '11 has an elongated slot l8 receiving the pin 3i on the bolt shank so that the latter and pin 3! may move independently of the outside control means F when the door is slammed or pushed to closed position, and has an opening 79 receiving the stem at of the T-sh'aJped pin 15 on the hand lever i5. Preferably a finger piece Si is provided on the outerside 01' the hand lever ':3 at its upper free end to facilitate movement thereof by an operator. Thus, when the upper free end of the hand lever 73 is pulled outwardly, the link 11 will lift the pin 3| and thus cause the latch bolt Q to be retracted against the tension of the springs 32 and 33.

-What I claim asrny invention is:

1. A door latch structure Comprising a pair of case plate sections having complementary semicircular portionsforming a bearing, a substantially wedge-shaped latch bolt/adjacent said sections, the head of the wedge being rounded and havinga laterally projecting substantially cylindrical portion journaled in the bearing aforesaid,

- a keeper for the latch bolt having a substantially J-shapedportionthe curved part of the J being adapted to receive the rounded head of the latch bolt, the shank of the J being provided upon its having a laterally projecting substantially cylindrical portion journaled in the bearing aforesaid, the laterally projecting cylindrical portion of the latch bolt having projections at substantially diametrically opposite points thereof, and oppositely extending yieldable means terminally connected to said projections and case plate sections and normally retaining the tapered end aforesaid of the wedge-shaped bolt in a predetermined position.

i. A door latch structure comprising a pivotally mounted latch bolt having a wedge-shaped portion, and a keeper for said latch bolt having a substantially J shaped portion for receiving the wedge-shaped portion of the bolt and having two steps on the inner side of the shank of the J at the free end thereof successively engageable by the wedge-shaped portion of the bolt.

inner face in spaced relation to said curved part 7 with two steps arranged in tandem and adapted to be successively engaged by the tapered end of the;wedge-shaped latch bolt, the laterally projecting cylindrical'portion of the latch bolt having projections at substantially diametrically op- H posite points thereof, and oppositely extending yieldable means terminally connected to said projections and case plate sections and normally retaining the tapered end aforesaid of the wedgeshaped bolt in engagement with one of the steps aforesaid of said keeper.

2. A door latch structure comprising a pair of case plate sections having complementary semicircular portions forming a bearing, a substantially wedge-shaped latch bolt adjacent said sections, the head of the wedge being rounded and having a laterally projecting substantially cylindrical portion j ournaled in the bearing aforesaid, and a keeper for the latch bolt having a substantially J-shaped portion, the curved part of the J being adapted to receive the rounded head of the latch bolt, the shank of the J being provided upon its inner face in spaced relation to said curved part with two steps arranged in tandem and adapted to be successively engaged by the tapered end of the wedge-shaped latch bolt.

3. A door latch structure comprising a pair of case plate sections having complementary semicircular portions forming a bearing, a substantially wedge-shaped latch bolt adjacent said sections, the head of the wedge being rounded and 5. A door latch structure comprising a pivotally mounted latch bolt, and a keeper therefor, the latch bolt being wedge-shaped in configuration, the head of the wedgebeing rounded and having a laterally projecting substantially cylindrical portion constituting the pivot element of the latch bolt, and the keeper having an attachin plate and a substantially J-shaped portion disposed edgewise on and rigid with one side of said plate, the curved part of the J being adapted to receive the rounded head of the latch bolt, and the shank of the J being provided upon its inner face in spaced relation to said curved part with two steps arranged in tandem. and adapted to be successively engaged by the tapered end of the wedge-shaped latch bolt.

6. A door latch structure having a pivotally mounted latch bolt, and a keeper for said latch bolt, the latch bolt being Wedge-shaped in configuration, the head of the wedge being rounded and having a laterally projecting substantially cylindrical portion constituting the pivot element of the latch bolt, the keeper having a substantially J-shaped portion adapted to receive the wedgeshaped latch bolt, the curved part of the J being adapted to receive therounded head of the latch bolt, and the shank of the J being provided upon its inner face in spaced relation to said curved part with steps arranged in tandem and adapted to be successively engaged by the tapered end of the wedge-shaped latch bolt.

7. A door latch structure having a pivotally mounted wedge-shaped latch bolt, and a keeper for said latch bolt having an attaching plate and a substantially J-shaped portion disposed edge- Wise on and rigid with one side of said plate, the curved part of the J being adapted to receive the head of the wedge-shaped latch bolt, and the shank of the J being provided upon its inner face in spaced relation to said curved part with two steps arranged in tandem and adapted to be successively engaged by the tapered end of the Wedge-shaped latch bolt.

8. A door latch structure comprising a pivotally mounted latch bolt having a substantially Wedge-shaped portion, and a keeper dor the Wedge-shaped portion of the latch bolt having a substantially J-shaped' portion, the curved part of the J being adapted to receive the head of the Wedge-shaped portion of the latch bolt, the shank of the J being provided upon its inner face in spaced relation to said curved part with two steps arranged in tandem and adapted to be successively engaged by the tapered end of the wedge-shaped portion of the latch bolt.

9. A door-latch structure comprising a latch bolt having asubstantially wedge-shaped por tion, and having a laterally projecting substantially cylindrical portion constituting the pivot element of the latch bolt, a keeper for the wedgeshaped portion of the latch bolt having a substantially J-shaped portion, the curved part of the J being adapted to receive the head of the wedge-shaped portion of the latch bolt, the shank of the J being provided upon its inner face in spaced relation to said curved part with two steps arranged in tandem and adapted to be successively engaged by the tapered end of the wedge-shaped portion of the latch bolt, the laterally projecting cylindrical portion of the latch bolt having projections at substantially diametrically opposite sides thereof and yieldable means connected to said projections and normally retaining the tapered end aforesaid of the wedge-shaped portion of the bolt in engagement with one of the steps aforesaid of said keeper.

10. A door latch structure having a pivotally mounted latch bolt provided with a wedgeshaped portion, and a keeper for the wedgeshaped portion of the latch bolt having an attaching plate and a substantially J-shaped portion carried by said plate, the curved part of the J being adapted to receive the head of the wedgeshaped portion of the latch bolt, and the shank of the J being provided upon its inner face in spaced relation to said curved part With two steps arranged in tandem and adapted to be successively engaged by the tapered end of the wedge-shaped portion of the latch bolt.

GEORGE JANONIS. 

